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2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

PEST.

CARRIAGE TOP.

No. 247,550; Patented Sept. 27,1881.

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' W. P. FEST;

CARRIAGE TOP. No. 247,550. Patented Sept. 27,1881.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM P. FEST, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE STUDE- BAKER BROS. MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CARRIAGE-TOP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of-Letters Patent No. 247,550, dated September 27, 1881.

Application filed July 26, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM P. FEsT, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Bend, in the county of St. Joseph and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carriage Tops; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it 1 o appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to an improvement in 1' 5 canopy-tops for vehicles; and its objects.are to dispense with a certain top-joint, usually necessary in bowed vehicle tops, to facilitate the spreading and stretching of the top, and to construct atop of great lightness and strength.

I attain these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 presents a side view, in elevation, of acarriage-top, showing, in connection therewith, the improvements, and, by dotted lines,

2 5 the operation of the false bow and the position and appearance of top when collapsed. Fig. 2 shows a rear elevation of the top, with the same partly lowered.

A represents the seat or body, to which the bows B O are hung by a common joint, d, in the usual or other convenient manner. The bows B G are also pivoted at e e to a semi-top frame composed of two transverse bows, E E. These two parts of the said frame are united at 3 5 the center of the top at f, and also at the same point are pivoted the supplementary or false bow G and thejointed upright brace H. The ends of the said false bow G, bent atright angles therewith, form the pivots on which the 40 two parts of the frame E E, sleeve K, and brace H are hung, as shown in Fig.2, and by which construction the united parts are free to turn independently of each other or together.

The false bow G constitutes the center of 5 the arrangement of bows, and the semi-transverse frames E E collapse upon it, together with the bows B and 0, when the top is folded together. The bow G always preserves its relative position to the common jointf, thereby insuring an equal and uniform draw or exten- 5o sion to the material with which the top is trimmed.

By uniting thejointed braceHwith the other parts at f, as described, one or more additional top-joints, generally employed on bowed vehicle-tops, and usually located on the transverse bow between the front and the back bow, are dispensed with.

By my construction, as may be readily seen, the top -drop may be wholly or partly collapsed and the same spread and stretched, as desired, in the most satisfactory manner.

The upright bows B O, the frames E E, and false bow G may be made of wood or metal, and when of metal the said frames and bow may be made tubular, as of gas-pipe,whereby great strength and lightness will be gained.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-- 1. A canopy-top for vehicles,consisting of the combination of bows,jointed side braces, a semi-top frame, and a false bow, the said frame, false bow, and jointed braces being pivoted at a common center, substantially as described.

2. A canopytop for vehicles, provided with a false bow pivoted to a semi -top frame, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a vehicle-body, of bows B O,jointed brace H, top-frame E E, and false bow G, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the semi-top frame, false bow, andjointed side braces, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

7 WILLIAM 1. FEST.

Witnesses:

W. MACK, A. H. KELLEY. 

